Leisure centre 'built larger than authorised'

NAAS, 1 September 2000: 8.30am by Brian Byrne. The developer of a leisure complex in Naas has been asked for further information on 13 issues in relation to its application for retention of unauthorised works and permission for further development.

The complex at Monread Avenue is being built by Bresc Developments, and following objections submitted by the Sallins Road Action Group, the company has been asked to ‘submit proposals to redress’ a number of issues, including ‘unauthorised and visually obtrusive’ height and bulk in the building already constructed, inadequate proposals for parking, and the building of an unauthorised extension to the premises.

The premises also has ‘inadequate’ means of escape in the event of fire, according to county chief fire officer Michael Ftizsimons (left), and the developers have been told to contact the Eastern Health Board regarding the requirements of food hygiene legislation. The planners note that the range and nature of food to be served in the restaurant area may be restricted ‘given the confined nature of the kitchen’.

The developers also failed to provide a landscaping plan which was to be submitted prior to the beginning of the development.

In their objections, SRAG said they were ‘astounded’ that a reputable building firm who have been building in the area for years would ‘blatantly flout planning laws’ by constructing a larger centre than that submitted on the original plans.

They also say that an application for a second all-weather soccer pitch will further reduce the number of car parking spaces on the site and that the overflow will end up parking in nearby residential areas. “From a health and safety point of view, that would be quite unacceptable to all concerned,” their letter to town clerk Declan Kirrane.

SRAG also noted an apparent lack of separate delivery facilities for shops associated with the development, and the failure of the developer to remove a number of signs for which planning permission had been refused.

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At Duchas Festival

Pictured at last weekend's Duchas 2000 Folk Festival in Kildare were Senator Sean O Fearghaill and his wife Mary Claire.

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Pipe and drum classes starting

KILDARE, 1 August 2000: by Martin Dempsey. Young people (and the not-so-young) in Kildare Town and surrounding areas will have an opportunity on Wednesday 6 September to join Lord Edward's Own Narraghmore Pipe Band.

A Registration Night for beginners and existing players will be held in the Carmel Hall, Kildare from 8 to 9 pm. Anyone interested in learning piping or drumming as a beginner or anyone who has had previous experience, is invited to attend.

As membership of the band is open to anyone interested in learning to play pipes and drums and its members and trainees are not charged tuition fees, it provides a social, cultural and recreational outlet for young people in the region, who would otherwise not have such an opportunity.

The band is a community-based organisation and all its members give their time and services on a voluntary basis. It provides quality tuition and performances for the community which it serves.

Earlier this year the band represented Ireland at Expo 2000 in Hannover, Germany where it performed for President Mary McAleese and other dignitaries on 28 June - Ireland's National Day at Expo. The band will return to Hannover for a week at the beginning of October.

These are some of the many honours bestowed on the band as a result of its success in becoming European and World Champions in its grade last year. The band has since featured on RTE's Cúrsaí Ealaíne and has had many invitations to take part in national and international events.

Earlier this year Kildare County Council honoured the band, as one of the county's best representatives at national and international level. Councillors praised the band and its activities, stretching over more than 80 years, culminating in its European and World Championship titles in 1999.

For further information or if unable to attend the Registration Night contact Lord Edward's Own Narraghmore Pipe Band, Enterprise Centre, Melitta Road, Kildare. Phone 045 521190. Fax 045 521198. Email

Is Naas UDC spending money correctly to meet needs?

NAAS, 1 September, 2000: OPINION by John Kavanagh. I am glad to see that your article highlights the fact that the paving over of the swimming pool field (above) is permanent type not the temporary arrangement as others have alluded to. In the estimates on the cost of doing this job presented at the last UDC meeting I did not hear any mention the cost of restoring the parkland to its former state once the "temporary" car park has served its function i.e facilitated the developer who obtained the existing car park in the town, at a price of what I and others feel (see earlier KNN article), was a discounted price.

This lack of budget provision would lead me to believe that once this area of open space is lost it is lost for ever. Even if it ceases to be a carpark no provision has been made to restore it to its former state. (I did not see either what provision has been made for the environmental impact of the run-off from this car park on the lakes and water course that lies at the foot of this car park.)

I also note information received recently that the swimming pool field does not belong to the UDC and they are making decisions on land that does not belong to them. First of all they re-christen the swimming pool that they do not own, now they lay claim to an area that they do not own!

What do the owners of this land have to say to their plans? Has the cost of acquiring this land been factored into the costs? Looking at the huge monies involved in this provision, surely it is time for the UDC to admit that a mistake was made in the putting of the town's main car park into private ownership?

Additionally, surely the towns policy makers have to wake up and realise that amenities such as these open spaces are vital green lungs and amenities that must be treasured. Housing densities are set to increase due to the new planning act, and more and more of the open areas around the town are due to be are paved over and built upon. Green areas must be protected for the people of NAAS/KILDARE. If there are to be any amendments to the town plan, these amendments must be for the benefit of the people of Naas.

I feel the monies involved can be better spent in the provision/completion of amenities in the town. Why is a car park is needed? why not look at a start-of-pipe as opposed to an end-of-pipe solution? Why not allow the development of some shopping facilities outside the overcrowded town centre?

If the UDC allows the development of facilities such as supermarkets where the population that use them are based, people will not need to park in the town centre. These places will provide their own parking at no expense to the town, leaving the UDC coffers free to be spent on such matters as finishing the Monread Park, protecting the town’s assets from incursions, putting in playgrounds and other amenities.

ED: Please note that views expressed under 'OPINION' on KNN are those of the writer concerned, and do not necessarily reflect the views of KNN or its proprietors. This facility is provided in the interests of free speech and public information and may be availed of either to make a point or respond to one.

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Around and About the County...

MAYNOOTH: Gardai in Maynooth are to 'take necessary action' against motorists who park illegally in Pound Lane and adjoining lanes. Such parking has caused difficulties with wheelie bin collections, according to Cllr John McGinley (right) "It would also have prevented emergency services from gaining access."

KILDARE GENERAL: The Kildare Archeological Society has arranged a varied schedule of talks and other events for the coming months. On Sunday 17 September there will be a lecture ‘Wales and Ireland - Celtic Ps and Qs’ by Rory O'Farrell, Chairman of the Cambrian Archaeological Association, It will take place in St David's Church, Naas, subscription £4 including tea. On Saturday 14 October the society will hold its Millennium Dinner in Ceannt Officers' Mess, Curragh Camp, py permission of the Officer Commanding. The speaker will be Dr Richard John Aylmer, 16th Baronet of Donadea and the event is by advance booking only. Subscription £20 and bookings may be made with Mary O'Connor at 045 897451. The society’s AGM will take place on Saturday 25 November at 3.30pm in Naas Branch Library.

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Car park plans make a 'con job' of town development plan

NAAS, 31 August 2000: 8.30am by Brian Byrne. Lakelands residents say that the Naas UDC plan to turn the green area from the swimming pool down to the lake (above) into a car park makes a ‘con job’ of the last Naas Development Plan.

In a circular being issued to all houses in the estate this week, the Lakelands Residents Association points out that two points in the development plan make specific provision for protection of the area. Section 2.11 (AR6) commits the UDC to ‘continue landscaping and the development of amenities on open spaces such as the Fair Green and the lakes; including the provision of playground equipment’. Section 2.11 (AR10) also commits the UDC to ‘preserve the views of the lakes from the Fair Green’.

The original proposal by the current UDC chairman Cllr Pat O’Reilly (left) to turn the Swimming Pool Field into a car park, and the town clerk-supported plan to do the same with the Fair Green are being actively pursued by the UDC at the moment, and the matter will be up for discussion and probably decision at the September meeting of the UDC.

Town engineer Tom Cuddy has confirmed that the plans call for a ‘permanent’ concreting of the areas, as any other action would have insurance implications.

Strong opposition has emerged to the proposals, and the Lakelands Residents Association is to host a second public meeting at Ballycane Church on Tuesday night next at 9pm.

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Spike angry over conflicting ramp costs information

NEWBRIDGE, 31 August 2000: by Brian Byrne. Newbridge town commissioner Spike Nolan says he is ‘confused and angry’ over conflicting information on the costs of providing traffic ramps at College Park in Newbridge.

“I’ve been trying to get these ramps for 10 years for a road that is sometimes like Mondello Park, and I’ve always been told they’d be very expensive, costing around £5,000 apiece,” he said yesterday. “But now I see Cmmr Seamie Finn being told that they only cost £200. Who’s telling who the truth?”

He says he’s prepared to ‘rear up’ on the issue at the commission’s September meeting, despite assurances that ramps for the road are to be installed ‘before the end of the year’. “If they only cost £200, why have there been so many years of delay?” he asks.

Last year he finally managed to have repeater speed limit signs posted on the road (below), but he says they are largely being ignored by motorists using College Park as a ‘Western By-pass’ route to avoid the regularly-congested Main Street.

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Manor Inn back on the market

NAAS & ATHY, 31 August 2000: by Brian Byrne. Two landmark pubs in Naas and Athy have been put on the market by their owner, a developer who came to national prominence through a successful campaign by Ballymore people against his plans to build over 500 houses in the village.

Gerry Deane of Abbeydrive Developments has advertised the Manor Inn and the Castle Inn for sale, just 15 months after he bought the famous Naas premises and spent a considerable sum of money in a complete refurbishment. The Manor had previously been owned by Denis Curry.

Spike will promote salaries for councillors, commissioners

NEWBRIDGE, 30 August 2000: 9.30am by Brian Byrne. The provision of a proper salary for local councillors and town commissioners will be strongly promoted by Newbridge Town Commissioner Spike Nolan at next week’s Association of Municipal Authorities in Ireland (AMAI) conference in Clonakilty.

The salaries are being proposed under the upcoming local government reform legislation, and will improve the financial lot of all such local authority members, who currently only get expenses for their efforts.

“The work of a local representative has become much more complex, and we’re entitled to be paid something reasonable for our efforts,” Cmmr Nolan told KNN this week. “Councillors and commissioners now have heavy responsibilities as well as representational work, and it takes up a lot of our private time.”

Some 30 years ago, Cmmr Nolan was the instigator of expenses payments to town commissioners nationwide, after he sucessfully negotiated a £10 a month expenses payment for Newbridge TC members. This practice was subsequently followed by other commissions around the country.

“I didn’t know it at the time, but they had pushed me forward in Kildare as a ‘stalking horse’,” Cmmr Nolan recalls. “They didn’t think I’d be successful, but I was ... and they all used me as a precedent afterwards.”

Currently, county councillors receive expenses ranging from around £220 a month to £350 or so, depending on how far they live from the county hall. UDC members get expenses of around £100 a month and town commissioners get around £70 a month.

Under proposed legislation, members of county councils will get salaries of £800 a month, UDC councillors £500 a month, and town commissioners (or their equivalents, as the names of statutory bodies will also change) some £300 a month. These will be taxable and will also provide for pensions. KNN understands that travelling expenses will still be provided.

A county council chairman currently gets around £17,500 a year, made up of an allowance of £11,000 and vouchered expenses of up to £7,000. Naas UDC chairman gets £5,000, while Athy's UDC chairman gets an allowance of £2,500 and vouchered expenses of up to £1,200. The chairmen of the two town commissions in the county get £1,200 a year. These are all in addition to the normal monthly expenses.

Under the legislation, provision of such allowances is at the discretion of each local authority, and therefore can be quite different in each authority area.

Local authority members also receive travelling and subsistence expenses for their membership of VEC and other committees and for conferences which they attend.

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Second local radio station for Kildare?

KILDARE GENERAL, 30 August 2000: by Brian Byrne. The prospects of a second local radio station in Kildare have increased following a submission of an ‘expression of interest’ from a locally-based consortium to the IRTC for a licence for the Kildare/Carlow area.

It was one of 14 submissions nationwide for a ‘second county’ licence, which were considered at a recent meeting of the Independent Radio and Television Commission (IRTC). Application procedures for the licences will begin in 2001.

According to IRTC chairman Conor Maguire SC, the commission’s objectives are that additional services should bring a genuine diversity of programming rather than a repetition of existing services.

In addition to the second licence category, there was also an expression of interest for a community station from churches serving Wicklow, East Kildare and North County Dublin. A community station is also likely for Celbridge.

County Kildare is currently served by CKR FM, based in Carlow. The recent JNLR/MRBI figures show the station at the bottom of the performance list of independent stations with 37% listenership in the period July 1999 to June 2000. This is a drop of 2% over the previous equivalent period and against a 54% average listenership for the sector.

Market share for CKR was 21% in the most recent figures, a 2% drop on the previous equivalent period. Plans for the station to relocate its broadcasting HQ to a state-of-the-art studio complex at Toughers in Naas last year appear to have been shelved.

Listenership figures for stations close to the CKR catchment area included East Coast Radio (39%), Midlands Radio 3 (49%) and Radio Kilkenny (62%).

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New forest walks to be opened in Donadea

DONADEA, 30 August 2000: by Bill Trapman. Period costume will be the order of the day on Sunday when a community celebration takes place in Donadea Forest Park on Sunday at the official opening of new walks in the park.

The celebrations after the opening will include a pageant ‘The Alymers Through the Ages’ in the area of the castle in the park. The Kildare County Orchestra will also perform and there will be poetry readings and performances by local artists.

The new facilities - including new nature trails and a wheelchair accessible trail supplemented by an upgrading of the park generally – are the culmination of a major investment by Coillte in the park during 1999-2000 supported by local community development association Tir Na Mona, Friends of the Forest, KELT and Kildare County Council. The KELT contribution is £26,000 in LEADER II funding.

Ciaran Duggan, chairman of KELT, said that the upgrading of facilities at the park will result in a more enjoyable experience of this beautiful natural amenity for locals and visitors alike.

Scouts need grant money soon

NAAS, 29 August 2000: 8.30am by Trish Whelan. Naas Scouts are hoping the town’s Urban District Council comes through this week with its promised grant of £45,000 towards their Scout Den refurbishment, otherwise they’ll have to find bridging finance to finish the upgrading before the new scout season in September.

Jo Coy (pictured above on right with scouts and leaders) of the 4th Kildare Scout Unit says they have fulfilled all the conditions of the grant scheme but so far no money has been handed over. However, after an intervention by Cllr Timmy Conway, there is a promise from officials ‘to deal with the matter by the end of this week’.

“Work is being held up because we have cash flow problems and we’re depending on this money to complete the works,” Jo Coy told KNN. “If it doesn’t come soon, it looks likely the Den won’t be ready for the new scouting year.”

A letter from Naas town clerk Declan Kirrane, dated July 4, said the grant was approved ‘subject to usual conditions of the grant scheme’ and also to certain requirements the Town Engineer has in relation to improvements at the entrance to the Den. He said payments could not be released without an architect or engineer’s certificate setting out the necessary details, but this had not happened.

Scout leaders met with town engineer Tom Cuddy on July 21 and reached agreement on plans for a new entrance to the Den. They are giving the UDC a part of the site to finish off a footpath between Roselawn and the entrance to the Den.

“Everything was agreed in principle and I wrote to the town clerk advising him of this on July 28,” Jo Coy says. “I enclosed an engineer’s certificate stating that we had spent £60,000 on the Den. I also told him of my concern regarding the implication of his letter that ‘payment cannot be made until issues in relation to the entrance have been agreed with the town engineer’. This was put in by the Town Hall AFTER the grant was approved and has no relevance to the issue of funds as certified by our engineer. We don’t understand the delay and will have to borrow money, which is hard for a voluntary organisation to do. We were depending on this £45,000 to complete the works.”

The leaders say with over 300 young members are involved and there are ‘waiting lists as long as your arm’. They’re hoping the money will soon arrive so that the youngsters won’t be disappointed next month.

In addition to refurbishing the original British Legion building which is held in trust by the scouts since 1961, the troop have added an extension (above) that doubles its size.

“It can now hold up to 60 people comfortably, and we have showers and the facility to have visiting scouts overnight,” says troop treasurer Anthony McAllister. “We’ll also have an area for pitching tents, so it opens up greater possibilities for all our activities.”

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Barretstown Gang Camp launches national awareness campaign

BALLYMORE, 29 August 2000: by Bill Trapman. A new combined billboard and radio campaign by the Barretstown Gang Camp in Ballymore Eustace is designed both to raise money for the next year's programmes and to raise awareness of the work of the facility, which was set up by actor Paul Newman.

The camp, located in Barretstown Castle, provides therapeutic recreation for seriously ill children. The advertising campaign will be based on the theme that 'seriously ill children need serious fun' and the radio spots are voiced by actor Liam Neeson, a long-time supporter of the operation. The radio ads began last week and will run for a month, while the poster campaign will run for two weeks from the end of August.

The campaign is sponsored by Bank of Ireland, and donors can contribute either by visiting their local branch or phoning 1850 500 123. "This national appeal is a milestone for Barretstown, as it is the first of its kind we have undertaken," says Stephen Goldsmith, communications director at Barretstown. "Raising money as a direct result of the campaign is our top priority, but raising awareness is hugely important too in the long term."

Further information on the Barretstown project can be seen on its website.

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'Pursue marauding merchants for costs' - senator

KILDARE, 28 August 2000: 8.30am by Brian Byrne. Travelling merchants who have been responsible for damage to public and private property in County Kildare must be pursued ‘to the last degree’ for compensation for their activities.

That’s the view of Kildare town local representative Senator Sean O Fearghail (left), who described the travellers as ‘marauders’. He says he intends to propose a motion in Kildare County Council that all legal methods be used to recover damages and legal costs.

“All these people have assets, and we should go after them,” he told KNN at the weekend, as Naas UDC prepared to take the next legal steps against the remaining 27 or so travelling families who are still defying a High Court order that should have had them off UDC land at Caragh Road by Friday lunchtime.

“Kildare should be seizing their vehicles against costs incurred,” Senator O Fearghaill says. “Many of them also have homes, and there’s no reason why we shouldn’t recover our money.”

Up to mid-summer, Kildare County Council had spent an estimated £50,000 on legal fees dealing with moving illegally parked travellers. In addition, damage and clean-up costs for traveller incursions into private and public properties all over the county could run into at least a similar figure. Affected areas include Celbridge, Leixlip, Naas, Newbridge, Kildare, and Monasterevin.

Meanwhile, in Kildare town, an attempt by Kildare County Council to move a travelling family onto an official site at Mayfield is being frustrated by local residents, who have taken court action to prevent the move. The family, who used to live in Naas, are currently illegally camped in the town, and the council has a court order requiring them to move to Mayfield.

A court date has been set for early September where both sides will thresh out the matter.

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All-Ireland dream over for the Lilys

KILDARE GENERAL, 28 August 2000: by Bill Trapman. The dream is over, at least for another year. The Lily White Leinster Champions will not, after all, be taking the Sam Maguire down to Kildare, after being pushed out of the All-Ireland by Galway in a match that was less than brilliant but which had small moments of brightness.

Not weatherwise, though, as the rain poured down throughout most of the match, making things slippery and sloppy. But that was the same for both sides anyway, so they were still, so to speak, playing a level pitch.

The final scoreline of 0-15 to 2-6 represented a quality performance from Galway’s experienced people, particularly captain Padraic Joyce, who put the ball over the bar seven times, four of them from frees and Niall Finnegan (three frees converted).

Kildare’s goals were excellent opportunities converted by Brian Murphy and Tadhg Fennin, while Karl O’Dwyer had a period of extremely good scoring with three points scored out of play. Padraig Brennan, also a three-pointer, got two of his from frees.

For whatever reasons, it was a game in which Kildare players received a lot of yellow cards, and Kildare wing-back John Finn was finally sent off in the 56th minute for a bookable foul on Galway’s Michael Donnellan. In true Lily fashion, being a man down only seemed to spur the Kildare side on to stronger efforts, but the same Donnellan, along with Joyce and Finnegan, placed the final Galway nails in Kildare’s coffin in the last six minutes of the game.

And so the dream is put off until next year. But it was good while it lasted, and gave the fans a lot to cheer (below) about during the trek towards the top.

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Naas group party in Castelattico

Nas na Rí Set Dancers musicians Alan Keogh, Mary and Anne Coffey, and John McNamara, entertaining the Castelatticans.

NAAS & CASTELATTICO, ITALY, 28 August 2000: by Brian Byrne. The Nas na Rí Set Dancers who went out to Castelattico this month really showed their counterparts in Naas's Italian twin town how to party.

"We ended up dancing their own steps until late into the night when we opened their festival," says the group's leader, Marie Kelly. "They were beat long before us, and they couldn't understand where we got the energy."

They needed energy on the trip, which started with a day and night in Rome in 32degC heat, and, on their first day in Castelattico, a mountain climb to celebrate an annual meeting of the people from three neighbouring villages where their boundaries joined in a mountain valley.

Munching on the mountain in Castellatico: John Kelly, Marie Kelly (shy, hidden in the hat) and Chris Allison from Esmondale.

"We had to walk up, and there were mules to bring up big pots of meat and spaghetti, and of course wine and champagne," Marie told KNN. "There's a tree planted at the join of the three boundaries, and that's where we had our lunch on the mountainside."

The following day, prior to opening the festival, the Naas group and their musicians, led by piper Kevin O'Neill, were guests at a village festa, where local families prepared different kinds of meals, served in tents. "You could go into any tent and taste something completely different. And they had even set up a Paddy's Bar tent for us, in case we felt homesick."

Meeting in Castellatiico: Trish Fusco from Meadow Court, Marie Kelly of the Nas na Rí Set Dancers, and Patricia Fusco of Castellatico, formerly from Johnstown.

One of the families they met there were the Fuscos, who used to own the Johnstown Inn in Naas. Trish Fusco lives in Meadow Court in Naas today. Castelattico used to be home to 7,000 people, but the population is now only 1,000 because of emigration.

"The village is built on the side of a mountain valley, and there are other similar villages all around," Marie says. "They keep the lowlands in the valleys clear for tillage."

While there, Marie celebrated her birthday. In addition, it was a special occasion for the Kelly family because three generations of them danced together (below) - Marie and her daughter-in-law Michelle and grandchild Tara. Tara dances with the Jennifer Landers School of Dancing based in Kilcullen.

The trip was accompanied by Naas Twinning Committee chairman Cllr Pat O’Reilly. His wife, Stella, was also in the party, along with Orla and Tom O’Connell, Paddy and Mary Hayde and John Kelly.

Naas is also twinned with Dillingen in Bavaria and St David’s in Wales.

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